Solid synthetic polymeric articles are often gas-permeable and/or permit solvent diffusion through the polymer. The rate of transmission of gases and/or solvent through such polymers varies for different materials and the rate also may vary for materials produced by different manufacturing processes. It is often desired to minimize or totally eliminate such transmission. Mechanical filling of polymers has been attempted to reduce permeability with some effect. This has been accomplished by mechanically admixing a filler material with the resin and then fabricating the finished product. Such mechanical filling is on a macro scale and affects the properties of the polymer.
It is an object of the present invention to provide chemically filled polymers wherein the filler material is deposited throughout the article. This provides an article having improved or different properties, i.e., different gas and/or solvent permeability, electrical properties, chemical properties and/or physical properties.